Physical exerciser.



PATENTED FEB. 5, 1907.

m 1 TJ UNITED snares ouone MULLER,

KOLBERGER ANSTALTEN FUR or BERLIN, GERMANY,

PATENT OFFICE.

ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM EXTERIKULTUR WILHELM ANHALT GERMANY.

PHYSICAL EXERCISER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1907.

Application filed January 6,1905. Serial No. 239,929.

To (tZl whom it TIMI/'1] (IOII/(JIH'ILJ Be it known that I, GEORGMULLER, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at 28Potsdamerstrasse, Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Physical Exercisers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to [O which it appertainsto make and use the same.

Physical exercisers are already known in which elastic connections whichrun through a piece buckled round the shoulder are connected at one endwith stirrups and at the other end with handles, the elastic cords, ifso desired, being also connected with a cap worn by the personexercising. In order to enable this to be done, the elastic cord betweenthe foot and the hand must be so long that if the cap be omitted itoffers no appreciable resistance. Horeover, this may cause an injuriouspressure on the chest and the lungs. Again, with such apparatus allkinds of exercises cannot be performed. Exercises in knee-bending in thelunging-out position or in a sitting posture are impossible, there beingno resistance. Likewise, no re sistance is presented in raising the legsforward, backward, or sidewise, as in all these exercises the strengthof the elastic strand is diminished, as when such exercises areperformed the ends of the strand are brought nearer together, thestrands being adjusted in their shortest line of connection. Finally, itis also impossible to compensate the gradual lengthening of the strandwhich occurs when the exerciser is used or to increase the workcorrespondingly to the strengthening of the muscles Without intro dueingfresh strands. All these disadvantages are obviated by means of thisinvention, which is suitable for all free gymnastic exercises and doesnot interfere with, but even assists, the breathing. According to thepresent invention a belt is put round the loins. The belt is providedwith guides for the elastic strands connecting the handles and thestirrups. In addition an adjustable buckling strap is provided by meansof which the lengthening of the strands in the course of use can becompensated. An increase in the work corresponding to the strengtheningof the muscles can be effected very easily with the apparatus.

Figure 1 represents the apparatus before use, and Fig. 2 the same inuse.

011 a belt a, which can be narrowed or widened in front and at the back,so as to serve for different persons, rings 1) are provided, throughwhich elastic bands or cords e are passed. The upper ends of theseelastic bands c carry snap-hooks 71 which are suspended in swivels (1,fixed to the handles 0, so that the handle can freely move. The lowerends of the elastic cords e are likewise provided with snap-hooks 71,which engage in rings 01 on the buckle-straps f, to which the stirrups gare attached by means of rings is. The buckle-strapsfean be lengthenedor shortened.

A considerable advantage in the described apparatus is that the gymnastmay put it on and allow the cords to hang from the belt while he isperforming other work.

The person using the exerciser can increase at will the resistance to beovercome by tightening the buckling piece f, as well as by insertingfurther elastic strands adjoining each other in the known manner. Thesnaphooks greatly facilitate the insertion of such strands c.

WVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An exercising apparatus comprising elastic bands or cords, eachprovided at one end with a handle and at the other end with a footattachment or stirrup, and a Waist-belt adjustable at the front and backand provided with guide-rings for the elastic bands fixed on oppositesides of its front ends.

2. An exercising apparatus consisting of elastic bands, each provided atone end with a handle and at the other end with a foot attachment orstirrup, a waist-belt proout the same at the front and back, loops fixedto opposite ends of said waist-belt near the front thereof, andguide-rings carried by said loops.

3. An exercising apparatus comprising vided with means for taking in andletting elastic bands, foot-stirrups, means for adposition of theguide-rings relatively to the justing said bands to said stirrups,handles body of the user. 10 upon the upper ends of said elastic bands,In testimony whereof I have affixed my and a waist-belt provided withfixed means signature in presence of two Witnesses.

through which the elastic bands pass freely GEORG MULLER.

and adjusting means for said belt at the Witnesses:

front and back thereof to provide for vary- WOLDEMAR HAUPT,

ing the size of the belt without changing the HENRY HASPER.

